Step for poles



NITE STATES ATENT Fries.

STEP FOR POLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 614,177, dated November15, 189 8. Application filed A il 2 1, 1898. Serial No. 678,427. (NomcdeL) T0 coZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL B. MCBRIDE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State ofUtah, have invented new and useful Improvements in Steps for Poles, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in steps for telegraph and otherpoles; and it has for its prime object to improve such devices byproviding a base-plate which may be permanently secured to a pole toremovably receive a step and to so adapt the same as to prevent anunauthorized person from climbing the pole.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following descriptionand claim when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in whichFigure 1 is .a view of a telegraph or other pole with my improvedbase-plates secured thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detailview, with the improved plate partly in section and the step seated inthe plate. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken in the plane indicated bythe dotted line xxof Fig. 2. Fig. at is a perspective view of one of thesteps removed, and Fig. 5 is a similar View of the base-plate.

Referringby letter to said drawings, Aindicates a pole, which may bethat of a telegraph or other pole usually employed for stringing wires.This pole forms no part of my invention, being simplyillustrated for thepurpose of showing the application of my improvements thereto.

B indicates the base-plate of my improved device. This plate is providedwith a vertically-disposed groove or socket a on its outer side, and onits opposite side it is provided at a suitable distance from its upperend with a rearward horizontally-disposed spike b,which is designed tobe driven-or otherwise inserted into the post to secure the plate Bthereto. This socket or groove a is of a dovetail or approximatelydovetail form in cross-section, being formed by the two longitudinalvertical flanges c, which may be straight and parallel at their innerends, as shown at d, and from this point converge outwardly, as shown at6, although I do not wish to confine myself to this precise shape in theconstruction.

These flanges are preferably rounded or bev= they are also preferablytapered or beveled at the upper corners g for a purpose which willpresently appear.

As an additional means of securing the plate to a pole I provide theplate at a suitable point below the spike with a transverse hole 72, andinsert thereina screw tor the like. It is obvious, however, that thescrew need not be employed in all cases, as ordinarily the spike will besufficient to secure the plate; but the screw or a nail in lieu thereofis both desirable and preferable.

0 indicates my improved step. This step comprises a horizontal branchand a vertical branch Z at the inner end of the horizontal branch. Theupper side of thehorizontal branch is preferably roughened, so as toprovide a secure footing for the operator. In the illustration I haveshown the upper side of the horizontal branch provided with a centrallongitudinal recess m, which may be dropped therein or otherwiseproduced during the stage of manufacture, so as to present longitudinaledges n, which will afford perfect security to the foot in climbingorwhile standing upon the step. To afiord an additional security to thefoot and prevent the same froni'accidentally leaving the step, the outerend of the horizontal branch may be turned upwardly, as shown at p. Thevertical branch Z, which depends from the inner end of the horizontalbranch, is of a length the same or about the same as that of thebase-plate and should of course be shaped conformable in cross-sectionto that of the socket in the base-plate, and this vertical branch, aswell as' the socket of the base-plate, preferably tapers from its lowerto 'its upper end, and the under side of the horizontal branch of thestep where it meets the vertical branch may have a lateral shoulder q toengage the upper end of the side walls of the socket.

By beveling the upper ends of the flanges c and disposing said ends ofthe flanges below the upper end of plate a it will be seen that when thesteps have been removed from the base or socket plates boys andunauthorized persons will be afforded no means for climbing the pole, asthe foot would tend to slip off of the plates in any attempt to rest thefoot thereon. These devices can be formed of any suitable material, suchas malleable iron, steel, or cast-iron.

In operation, after the plates have been secured to the post, to climbthe post it is simply necessary to insert the vertical branches of thesteps in the sockets of the plates, and in descending the pole theoperator can with draw the steps from the socket and thereby leave thepole with the plates only.

W'hile I have described the branch I) as a spike to be driven into thepole, yet in some cases it may be found desirable to make this branch ascrew, so that instead of driving it in it may be turned into the pole.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is-- The plate havingthe lateral spike or securing-arm 011 its inner side and the Verticalflanges on its outer side, the said flanges forming the socket tobetween them and having their upper ends disposed below the upper end ofthe plate and also having said upper ends beveled as indicated by g; incombination with a removable step havingavertical branch adapted toenter the socket between the flanges of the plate, substantially asspecified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

DANIEL B. MCBRIDE.

Witnesses:

J. A. YOUNG, RoBT. T. McEWAN.

